Students in the James Cates Scholars program have spent their summer uncovering Black history in Chapel Hill. The community is invited to a showcase of their work on Monday, August 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Public Library (100 Library Drive).
The James Cates Scholars are a youth-led, elder-informed group dedicated to centering, exploring, and sharing marginalized Black experiences through collaborative community history projects. The program is named in honor of James Cates, who was murdered on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus in 1970 by white supremacists. The Cates Scholars receive guidance from Bridging the Gap, a local nonprofit, and the Library’s Community History staff, as well as On the Books, a project of University Libraries at UNC-Chapel Hill.
This year, there are nine students in the program, ranging in age from 14 to 18. Many of the students are interested in pursuing journalism, graphic design, public speaking, and entrepreneurship. Over the summer months, they researched local history and collected oral history interviews from Orange County residents, shedding light on their experiences with Jim Crow laws while living in Chapel Hill.
“Through the James Cates Scholars, I found that sense of community. My lazy self from six weeks ago could not even imagine how far I would come as a person in the short period of time since starting this program,” said James Cates Scholar, Zan Coleman. "The lessons I’ve learned will forever impact me as a person. Though I am a poet it is hard to put in miniscule words how much community, knowledge, and empowerment I have found here.”
"The James Cates Scholars are an incredible gift to Chapel Hill,” said Molly Luby, Community History Coordinator at Chapel Hill Public Library. “They are passionate organizers who truly embody the values of community history: they demonstrate care and compassion for their elders, for history, and for each other. And they have so much fun while they work! They inspire the work we do all year round."
"My experience with the Cates Scholars has been extremely enjoyable, while also educational and engrossing. My peers and I always have fun together and are able to laugh, while also learning and creating projects that showcase each of our individual talents and knowledge,” said James Cates Scholar, Zadie Taylor. “I am very thankful for the incredible opportunities that this program has offered me—from college application assistance to public speaking opportunities.”
For more information about the James Cates Scholars and the showcase event, please contact: jamescatesscholarsch@gmail.com